Jackson case continued, Parker gets court date

Two court cases of interest in Bladen County were on the docket in Bladen County Superior Court on Monday, March 4, 2019. Judge Croom presided over the court proceedings on Monday.

The case of Delane Jackson, a former Bladenboro Town Manager, was on the docket on Monday. Defense Attorney Butch Pope addressed the court on Jackson’s behalf. Jackson was present but did not address the courtroom.

Jackson is charged with one felony count of obtaining property by false pretenses. His case has been continued numerous times, according to court documents.

Pope told the court he has requested but has not yet received documents from the Town of Bladenboro which are relevant to the case. Bladenboro is where Jackson worked as town manager at the time of the alleged offense. Pope told the court the documents that have not yet been turned over are a part of the public record. He did not specify exactly which documents or what types of documents are being requested.

“We need a response whether or not they (the Town of Bladenboro) have those documents,” said Pope.

He told the court he has spoken with Bladen County Assistant District Attorney Quentin McGee regarding the issue.

The case was continued until the May case management session for further review.

Also on the court docket Monday was the case involving Jonathan Parker.

Pope told the court he is working with a forensic psychologist regarding Parker’s mental state.

A date of May 6 was set to accept a possible plea arrangement.

Resident Superior Court Judge Douglas Sasser ruled in December 2018 that Parker is competent to stand trial. Parker is facing a charge of first-degree murder for the stabbing death of 78-year-old John Robert Cole at Cole’s home in Elizabethtown on October 19, 2015.